Hamilton Apologises For Disappointing Qualifying Performance At Spa Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton expressed regret to Ferrari after a challenging weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix. He will begin Sunday's race at Spa from 16th position, following an early exit in qualifying. His final lap time was erased for breaching track limits, placing him 13 spots behind Charles Leclerc, who had a more successful weekend.

The qualifying setback came after a difficult sprint race for Hamilton. He failed to progress past the first stage and started 18th on the grid after spinning out in his last lap of SQ1. In the short Saturday race, he finished 15th, with Max Verstappen taking the win. Hamilton admitted his performance was lacking, stating to Sky Sports F1: "From my side, another mistake. I really have got to look internally. I have got to apologise to my team because it's just unacceptable to be out in both Q1s. It's a very, very poor performance from myself."

In contrast, Leclerc secured fourth place in the sprint race behind Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris. He managed to outperform Verstappen in qualifying, securing a spot on the second row with an impressive lap. This marks the first time in three years that Ferrari hasn't taken pole position in Belgium.

Despite not starting lower than fourth in his previous eight races at Spa, Hamilton acknowledged he faces a tough challenge to score points on Sunday. "I don't think there's really much we can do [with the car]," he mentioned. "I will just try and start where I am and see where I can get from there."

Leclerc Optimistic Despite Challenges

Leclerc expressed satisfaction with his third-place start despite Ferrari's recent struggles at Spa. "I'm very happy," he said. "It's strange to say that because it's still 0.3s, and it's only a third place, but I did not expect it." He noted improvements with recent upgrades but acknowledged difficulties faced on Friday.

The Ferrari driver remains hopeful about their race pace despite challenges keeping up with competitors like McLaren and Verstappen. "With the small changes we have done," Leclerc added, "I hope this gives the upper hand to us in the main race."

The weekend's events highlight contrasting fortunes for Hamilton and Leclerc at Spa-Francorchamps. While Hamilton grapples with setbacks, Leclerc remains optimistic about Ferrari's prospects moving forward.